A Corvid Vampire Hunter

Apo said she would never return to Oakhurst. And truly she didn’t really want to. But somewhere after Apo had told Cherri everything, her partner had insisted on going back to mourn her friends.

Martyn and Ren.. They didn’t even know if the two were made graves. Apo designed a few schematics on the carriage ride over just in case. It had been a few years since she left, since she discarded their militia shield and put Oakhurst behind her as a more-than-morbid unignorable dream.

If she remembered correctly, Pearl and Cleo had stayed behind to rebuild, to live in Oakhurst. Apo didn’t know if they were still there though, plans could change quickly even with the longer lifespan they had been cursed with. A curse Apo was grappling with still, but Cherri had proven to become a big help with that, providing reassuring words and snapping her out of her misery in a way Cherri had been doing since before they fell in love.

Apo missed Cherri, even if she was only leaving her for a short while to revisit her past. Oakhurst. Apo landed out of bat form to walk up to rebuilt gates, everything was much more advanced than it had been left.

She glanced around but didn’t spot anyone at first glance. A relieved sigh, good, revisiting her past didn’t mean she wanted to talk to it.

It didn’t take long to travel out to Ren’s old cabin and spot the militia banners waving in the air, in surprisingly good condition for being out in the elements. Apo kneeled in between them, she wasn’t a religious person and didn’t see a need to pray, but she could wish them well.

he raised an eyebrow

Phil clarified,

“Ignore me then.”

It didn’t last more than a few minutes.

He didn't look at Apo.

“I see.”

But Apo was not longer alive, so instead she let her nails grow slowly until they were sharp enough to break skin. Her lungs were dead and unmoving. It was almost reflex in the way she jumped, claws aiming quickly for his throat.

"what on-"

Okay look she never claimed to be the best at combat talking. Or.. talking in general.

Apo said she would never return to Oakhurst. And truly she didn’t really want to. But somewhere after Apo had told Cherri everything, her partner had insisted on going back to mourn her friends.

Martyn and Ren.. They didn’t even know if the two were made graves. Apo designed a few schematics on the carriage ride over just in case. It had been a few years since she left, since she discarded their militia shield and put Oakhurst behind her as a more-than-morbid unignorable dream.

If she remembered correctly, Pearl and Cleo had stayed behind to rebuild, to live in Oakhurst. Apo didn’t know if they were still there though, plans could change quickly even with the longer lifespan they had been cursed with. A curse Apo was grappling with still, but Cherri had proven to become a big help with that, providing reassuring words and snapping her out of her misery in a way Cherri had been doing since before they fell in love.

Apo missed Cherri, even if she was only leaving her for a short while to revisit her past. Oakhurst. Apo landed out of bat form to walk up to rebuilt gates, everything was much more advanced than it had been left.

She glanced around but didn’t spot anyone at first glance. A relieved sigh, good, revisiting her past didn’t mean she wanted to talk to it.

It didn’t take long to travel out to Ren’s old cabin and spot the militia banners waving in the air, in surprisingly good condition for being out in the elements. Apo kneeled in between them, she wasn’t a religious person and didn’t see a need to pray, but she could wish them well.

he raised an eyebrow

Phil clarified,

“Ignore me then.”

It didn’t last more than a few minutes.

He didn't look at Apo.

“I see.”

But Apo was not longer alive, so instead she let her nails grow slowly until they were sharp enough to break skin. Her lungs were dead and unmoving. It was almost reflex in the way she jumped, claws aiming quickly for his throat.

"what on-"

Apo said she would never return to Oakhurst. And truly she didn’t really want to. But somewhere after Apo had told Cherri everything, her partner had insisted on going back to mourn her friends.

Martyn and Ren.. They didn’t even know if the two were made graves. Apo designed a few schematics on the carriage ride over just in case. It had been a few years since she left, since she discarded their militia shield and put Oakhurst behind her as a more-than-morbid unignorable dream.

If she remembered correctly, Pearl and Cleo had stayed behind to rebuild, to live in Oakhurst. Apo didn’t know if they were still there though, plans could change quickly even with the longer lifespan they had been cursed with. A curse Apo was grappling with still, but Cherri had proven to become a big help with that, providing reassuring words and snapping her out of her misery in a way Cherri had been doing since before they fell in love.

Apo missed Cherri, even if she was only leaving her for a short while to revisit her past. Oakhurst. Apo landed out of bat form to walk up to rebuilt gates, everything was much more advanced than it had been left.

She glanced around but didn’t spot anyone at first glance. A relieved sigh, good, revisiting her past didn’t mean she wanted to talk to it.

It didn’t take long to travel out to Ren’s old cabin and spot the militia banners waving in the air, in surprisingly good condition for being out in the elements. Apo kneeled in between them, she wasn’t a religious person and didn’t see a need to pray, but she could wish them well.

he raised an eyebrow

Phil clarified,

“Ignore me then.”

It didn’t last more than a few minutes.

He didn't look at Apo.

“I see.”

But Apo was not longer alive, so instead she let her nails grow slowly until they were sharp enough to break skin. Her lungs were dead and unmoving. It was almost reflex in the way she jumped, claws aiming quickly for his throat.

"what on-"

Apo said she would never return to Oakhurst. And truly she didn’t really want to. But somewhere after Apo had told Cherri everything, her partner had insisted on going back to mourn her friends.

Martyn and Ren.. They didn’t even know if the two were made graves. Apo designed a few schematics on the carriage ride over just in case. It had been a few years since she left, since she discarded their militia shield and put Oakhurst behind her as a more-than-morbid unignorable dream.

If she remembered correctly, Pearl and Cleo had stayed behind to rebuild, to live in Oakhurst. Apo didn’t know if they were still there though, plans could change quickly even with the longer lifespan they had been cursed with. A curse Apo was grappling with still, but Cherri had proven to become a big help with that, providing reassuring words and snapping her out of her misery in a way Cherri had been doing since before they fell in love.

Apo missed Cherri, even if she was only leaving her for a short while to revisit her past. Oakhurst. Apo landed out of bat form to walk up to rebuilt gates, everything was much more advanced than it had been left.

She glanced around but didn’t spot anyone at first glance. A relieved sigh, good, revisiting her past didn’t mean she wanted to talk to it.

It didn’t take long to travel out to Ren’s old cabin and spot the militia banners waving in the air, in surprisingly good condition for being out in the elements. Apo kneeled in between them, she wasn’t a religious person and didn’t see a need to pray, but she could wish them well.

he raised an eyebrow

Phil clarified,

“Ignore me then.”

It didn’t last more than a few minutes.

He didn't look at Apo.

“I see.”

"Hi Phil." She says quietly. Hitori, on the other hand, is instantly excited.

He grins. "Food? More food? More food, I teach how powers work."

Phil looks between the two,

“Yeah I have more food.”

He slings off the bag and hands it to Hatori with a smile before looking back at Selene,

Phil frowned, looking down.

"I... I see."

He went quiet for a long while, gathering his thoughts.

Phil sat down, sighing to himself.

he paused,

he paused, exhaling slowly and looking down at his hands.

Hitori tugs on her sleeve, pointing to a corner of the crypt where a mouse was cautiously poking its nose out of a hole in the stone. He grins at Phil and Selene. "Watch."

The child stares at the mouse, tracing his finger in strange patterns on his palm. Red energy, just like that which Hitori had transferred from himself to Phil when he'd first gifted him the power, circles around the mouse. It crawls over to Hitori without fear, it's movements a little too perfect to be natural. The vampire grabs the mouse and bites into it's neck, draining it of it's blood.

"that's rather interesting..."

Phil nods, eyes not leaving the corpse.

Apo said she would never return to Oakhurst. And truly she didn’t really want to. But somewhere after Apo had told Cherri everything, her partner had insisted on going back to mourn her friends.

Martyn and Ren.. They didn’t even know if the two were made graves. Apo designed a few schematics on the carriage ride over just in case. It had been a few years since she left, since she discarded their militia shield and put Oakhurst behind her as a more-than-morbid unignorable dream.

If she remembered correctly, Pearl and Cleo had stayed behind to rebuild, to live in Oakhurst. Apo didn’t know if they were still there though, plans could change quickly even with the longer lifespan they had been cursed with. A curse Apo was grappling with still, but Cherri had proven to become a big help with that, providing reassuring words and snapping her out of her misery in a way Cherri had been doing since before they fell in love.

Apo missed Cherri, even if she was only leaving her for a short while to revisit her past. Oakhurst. Apo landed out of bat form to walk up to rebuilt gates, everything was much more advanced than it had been left.

She glanced around but didn’t spot anyone at first glance. A relieved sigh, good, revisiting her past didn’t mean she wanted to talk to it.

It didn’t take long to travel out to Ren’s old cabin and spot the militia banners waving in the air, in surprisingly good condition for being out in the elements. Apo kneeled in between them, she wasn’t a religious person and didn’t see a need to pray, but she could wish them well.

he raised an eyebrow

Phil clarified,

“Ignore me then.”

It didn’t last more than a few minutes.

He didn't look at Apo.

(be mindful of spoilers)

Phil stared at Oakhurst.

He hated this place, it's taken so much from him, and so many others.

And yet... he was staying because of the two young vampires he'd promised he wouldn't abandon.

There were others who also remained; He caught glimpses of Cleo and Pearl every so often, and the graves that had been dug for those who died were often visited as well.

...

Phil's camp was messy from the chaos of the past week, and he could tell someone had ransacked it at some point in time. Though, he'd hardly been near it in the insanity, having let himself go just a bit too much (if his white hair and red eyes were anything to go off of)

he didn't mind his hunting gear being gone too much either. whichever poor soul had taken it probably needed it more than he needed it now.

he was done with hunting, at least for the next couple decades.

"... yeah."

He continued to look for Ama in the trees as he cleared his throat,

Phil sat back, setting down the bedroll he had been packing up.

He sighed, glancing in the direction of town,

Phil shrugged, then let out a small smile

He nodded his head.

he looks down,

Phil smiled,

He sighed,

He sighed,

(be mindful of spoilers)

Phil stared at Oakhurst.

He hated this place, it's taken so much from him, and so many others.

And yet... he was staying because of the two young vampires he'd promised he wouldn't abandon.

There were others who also remained; He caught glimpses of Cleo and Pearl every so often, and the graves that had been dug for those who died were often visited as well.

...

Phil's camp was messy from the chaos of the past week, and he could tell someone had ransacked it at some point in time. Though, he'd hardly been near it in the insanity, having let himself go just a bit too much (if his white hair and red eyes were anything to go off of)

he didn't mind his hunting gear being gone too much either. whichever poor soul had taken it probably needed it more than he needed it now.

he was done with hunting, at least for the next couple decades.

He looked over,

He sighed,

He set down the pack he was holding

“As much as I hate this place, I cant just abandon those two.”

He paused for a long moment, staring off into space,

Phil shook his head.

He mumbled as he looks over the meat.

Phil shrugged, eyes filled with a soft but unknown emotion.

"sure. we can say it's like that."

He smiled,

(be mindful of spoilers)

Phil stared at Oakhurst.

He hated this place, it's taken so much from him, and so many others.

And yet... he was staying because of the two young vampires he'd promised he wouldn't abandon.

There were others who also remained; He caught glimpses of Cleo and Pearl every so often, and the graves that had been dug for those who died were often visited as well.

...

Phil's camp was messy from the chaos of the past week, and he could tell someone had ransacked it at some point in time. Though, he'd hardly been near it in the insanity, having let himself go just a bit too much (if his white hair and red eyes were anything to go off of)

he didn't mind his hunting gear being gone too much either. whichever poor soul had taken it probably needed it more than he needed it now.

he was done with hunting, at least for the next couple decades.

He looked over,

He sighed,

He set down the pack he was holding

“As much as I hate this place, I cant just abandon those two.”

He paused for a long moment, staring off into space,

Phil shook his head.

He mumbled as he looks over the meat.

Phil shrugged, eyes filled with a soft but unknown emotion.

(be mindful of spoilers)

Phil stared at Oakhurst.

He hated this place, it's taken so much from him, and so many others.

And yet... he was staying because of the two young vampires he'd promised he wouldn't abandon.

There were others who also remained; He caught glimpses of Cleo and Pearl every so often, and the graves that had been dug for those who died were often visited as well.

...

Phil's camp was messy from the chaos of the past week, and he could tell someone had ransacked it at some point in time. Though, he'd hardly been near it in the insanity, having let himself go just a bit too much (if his white hair and red eyes were anything to go off of)

he didn't mind his hunting gear being gone too much either. whichever poor soul had taken it probably needed it more than he needed it now.

he was done with hunting, at least for the next couple decades.

He looked over,

He sighed,

He set down the pack he was holding

“As much as I hate this place, I cant just abandon those two.”

He paused for a long moment, staring off into space,

Phil shook his head.

He mumbled as he looks over the meat.

(be mindful of spoilers)

Phil stared at Oakhurst.

He hated this place, it's taken so much from him, and so many others.

And yet... he was staying because of the two young vampires he'd promised he wouldn't abandon.

There were others who also remained; He caught glimpses of Cleo and Pearl every so often, and the graves that had been dug for those who died were often visited as well.

...

Phil's camp was messy from the chaos of the past week, and he could tell someone had ransacked it at some point in time. Though, he'd hardly been near it in the insanity, having let himself go just a bit too much (if his white hair and red eyes were anything to go off of)

he didn't mind his hunting gear being gone too much either. whichever poor soul had taken it probably needed it more than he needed it now.

he was done with hunting, at least for the next couple decades.

He looked over,

He sighed,

He set down the pack he was holding

“As much as I hate this place, I cant just abandon those two.”

He paused for a long moment, staring off into space,

Phil shook his head.

He mumbled as he looks over the meat.